The story begins again where Bertone was once most courageous. The original Runabout from 1969 was not a show car in the classic sense, but rather a statement about freedom, proportion, and playful radicalism. Bertone is now revisiting this spirit and translating it into a form that does not appear backward-looking, but rather remarkably present.

The new Bertone Runabout marks the launch of the Bertone Classic Line and is much more than just a nostalgic throwback. Its architecture is characterized by two clear design elements: the forward-leaning wedge shape and the minimalist coda tronca rear. The proportions are compact, the appearance self-assured. From the extremely flat front to the reinterpreted pop-up headlights and the abruptly cut-off rear, every surface is designed for tension and clarity. Bertone offers the Runabout in two equivalent versions. The Barchetta consistently dispenses with a roof, making wind, light, and mechanics part of the experience. The Targa complements this concept with a removable carbon roof without compromising the formal purity. Both versions follow the same design discipline and differ more emotionally than technically.

There is serious substance beneath the sculptural exterior. A bonded aluminum chassis based on the extruded principle supports a carbon body and keeps the weight down to around 1057 kilograms. At the rear is a transversely mounted, supercharged 3.5-liter V6 with around 475 hp, coupled to a manual six-speed transmission with open metal shift gate. It sprints to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, with the design deliberately remaining analog and driver-centric. The interior follows the same minimalist approach. A tub-like structure, a horizontal dashboard resembling a boat deck, a single digital tachometer, and a nautical compass define the atmosphere. High-quality materials and visible mechanics replace decorative excess.

“The new Bertone RUNABOUT is more than a design object – it is a tribute to the Italian tradition of spectacular sports cars and pure joie de vivre”

Andrea Mocellin, Head of Design at Bertone

The new Runabout will be built in a strictly limited series of 25 units, each individually configured in close collaboration with Bertone’s Centro Stile. With a starting price of €390,000 before tax, the Runabout is not positioned as a rational purchase, but as a drivable design manifesto. One that shows that Bertone is not simply referencing its own history, but thinking ahead.